Senate Proposes Cuts to Fulbright-Hays Funding

Senate Proposes Cuts to Fulbright-Hays Funding

Article excerpt

JUST AS AMERICANS need to rebuild bridges burned by recent Middle East wars, and ISIS?propaganda kindles even more anti-U.S. hatred, Congress is considering severe cuts to Fulbright-Hays programs, including the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA). The National Coalition for History sent its members notices in June announcing: "House and Senate Appropriations Committees are in the process of finalizing fiscal year (FY) 2017 Department of Education funding bills. Severe cuts to Title VI/Fulbright-Hays international education programs are on the table.

"The Labor, HHS and Education bill that recently cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee would fund Title VI (A&B) Domestic Programs at $65 million and Fulbright-Hays Overseas Programs at $2.1 million for FY 17. While this reflects level funding from FY 16 for Title VI, the Fulbright-Hays program would be reduced by $4.9 million, or a 69 percent cut. Perhaps even more important, the Senate bill, if enacted by Congress, would represent over a six-year period a $58. …